Scottish Highlands, The Cairngorms

Groups of 8 plus, only by special arrangement.

For this tour, we will be based in the lovely old town of Grantown on Spey, founded in 1765, located within the rugged Cairngorms National Park, close to the Speyside Way and the famous ski resort of Aviemore.

Our quietly situated hotel dates back to 1879 and is surrounded by wonderful, and breathtaking scenery. Offering a personal, friendly service, the owners and staff provide an environment that is welcoming, courteous and kind. The accommodation provided is comfortable, clean and cosy. You will find it a great place to return to after one of our days out – to relax in the lounge, enjoy a refreshing drink in the attractive enclosed garden or just sitting and chatting with friends at the bar.

The hotel is situated close to the River Spey. We will walk beside this fast flowing river, famous for salmon fishing and whisky production, to one of the local smoke houses established in 1888 - now owned by Ian Anderson, MBE, a Scottish singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known for his work as lead singer/flautist of British rock band, Jethro Tull.

There is so much to discover in the Cairngorms National Park – the largest National Park in the UK and one of our most protected landscapes. Covered in wild heather and teeming with local wildlife, the park and is home to the Scottish Crossbill (the only bird species unique to Britain), the Dotterel, Capercaillie, Golden Eagle, Osprey, Black Grouse and Crested Tit. We may also see Pine Marten, Otters, Red Squirrels, Badgers - and maybe even the fabled Scottish Wildcat!

Our tour is a great mix of spectacular walks through beautiful scenery from the high mountains down towards the Moray Firth and around the rivers Spey and Findhorn. The terrain encompasses mountains, glens, lochs, riversides and forests. We'll include visits to a Whisky Distillery, lovely old castles and gardens and/or arboretums.

You will be fascinated by our day trip to the famous Culloden Battlefield, where the course of British, European and world history changed on 16th April 1746. It was here that the Jacobite army fought to reclaim the throne of Britain from the Hanoverians for a Stuart King.

Our driving tour day includes a visit to Loch Ness – a large deep, freshwater loch, best known for the sightings of the Loch Ness Monster or “Nessie” as it is affectionately known. We will motor through the rugged mountains to the west of Inverness, onward to the stunning Glen Garry, leading onto the west coast.

We may spend a day at The Highland Gathering (Games) in Braemar, where last time we had good views of the Royal family. You will never see so many bagpipe players gathered together in once place! The Games themselves are a dramatic spectacle to behold. Date dependant.

One of our favourite walks is to the peak of Ben Macdui, the second highest mountain in the UK after Ben Nevis, and the highest in the Cairngorms. Ben Macdui has its very own yeti or Brocken Spectre 'Am Fear Liath Mor' - the 'Big Grey Man of Ben Macdui - but we haven't seen him yeti!

Discover why The Highlands are called that - they might not be particularly high, but in this far northern part of Britain, the top of the 4,000 ft + plateau sometimes has a climate that can be likened to sub arctic tundra. During the winters, when mists or blinding snow storms can set in unexpectedly, these Highlands can be as formidable as anywhere on earth for survival. But that's on a bad day - and we won't go up there if the weather is not predictable - settled, fine and clear.

We will walk through remnants of the old Caledonian pine forest that once covered large tracts of the area. Experience the dramatic scenery of the Highlands, gloriously heather clad (if we go in September).

Regardless of the weather, the skies here can be truly amazing - with far reaching views that encompass many peaks and glens. Last September, we enjoyed predominantly good weather with only a couple of days with some rain.